My father? I never knew him. Never even seen a picture of him.

Of all possessions a friend is the most precious.

All men's gains are the fruit of venturing.

The destiny of man is in his own soul.

It is clear that not in one thing alone, but in many ways equality and freedom of speech are a good thing.

It is better by noble boldness to run the risk of being subject to half the evils we anticipate than to remain in cowardly listlessness for fear of what might happen.

Death is a delightful hiding place for weary men.

Whatever comes from God is impossible for a man to turn back.

Great things are won by great dangers.

Force has no place where there is need of skill.

To think well and to consent to obey someone giving good advice are the same thing.

The only good is knowledge, and the only evil is ignorance.

Knowledge may give weight, but accomplishments give lustre, and many more people see than weigh.

Men trust their ears less than their eyes.

In peace, sons bury their fathers. In war, fathers bury their sons.

Some men give up their designs when they have almost reached the goal; While others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than ever before.

Circumstances rule men; men do not rule circumstances.

I am bound to tell what I am told, but not in every case to believe it.

Great deeds are usually wrought at great risks.

What snowboarding has always had and the Olympics has not touched is that spirit, that original spirit of creativity and athletes standing up and having a voice and being innovative. But I guess what the Olympics has done is provided a platform for that spirit, and that's what I see as being a really positive thing.

My family moved to Aspen, Colorado, where we had 'Avalanche Danger' days that kept us from going to school, climbed 14,000-foot peaks as part of my education, and I learned to snowboard.

The programs I do with my trainer are amazing for overall strength and have a major focus on building my core. We do a lot of unique exercises that shake up the nervous system, which builds my balance and propreception. That's really important for my sport.

I learned a few years ago that balance is the key to a happy and successful life, and a huge part of achieving that balance is to instill rituals into your everyday life - a nutritious balanced diet, daily exercise, time for yourself through meditation, reading, journaling, yoga, daily reflection, and setting goals.

I get to experience so much in my life as I travel around, and it's just such a great way to get to share that with people. All these sites, like Twitter and Make It Pro, give me such a very strong way to interact with people. It's easy to let people be part of your life and to keep all of your friends and fans together.

Building up expectations, creating unrealistic time frames, feeling like our end goal is the end all, be all can all lead to frustration or anxiety. We end up feeling as though we have to power through what we want rather than enjoy the process and just let the result come as it may.

Eliminate the energy vampires in your house. Connect all of your appliances to power strips and turn them off they're when not in use.

I don't have too strict a diet.

I work out hard; that way, I can eat whatever I want. If you have a hard time regulating your diet, pushing yourself at the gym will help you keep the pounds off.

Growing up with brothers, I've always been a very competitive person and also very involved in sports. So when I was younger, whatever sport I was involved in, I wanted to go to the Olympics for that!

I've learned that you have to make careful choices because everything has an impact. I've also learned that you can't please everyone in life, so please yourself and figure out what really matters.

Life is short, and if we enjoy every moment of every day, then we will be happy no matter what happens or what changes along the way.

The longer you hang in there, the greater the chance that something will happen in your favor. No matter how hard it seems, the longer you persist, the more likely your success.

If I hadn't spent many years trying to be as compassionate as Mother Teresa, as positive a thinker as W. Clement Stone, as prolific a writer as Stephen King, and as good a speaker as many of the legends I have studied, I would not be as successful as I am today.

I believe in unconditional love and equality. Jesus Christ exemplified these qualities.

People who ask confidently get more than those who are hesitant and uncertain. When you've figured out what you want to ask for, do it with certainty, boldness and confidence. Don't be shy or feel intimidated by the experience. You may face some unexpected criticism, but be prepared for it with confidence.

Switching from one career to another can be scary, but it also can be a thrilling experience. Look at it as an opportunity to really go after what you want to accomplish in life and make a difference in the world. The key is to take small, conscious steps and prepare yourself for a successful transition.

When your dreams include service to others - accomplishing something that contributes to others - it also accelerates the accomplishment of that goal. People want to be part of something that contributes and makes a difference.

An important part of any focusing regimen is to set aside time at the end of the day - just before going to sleep - to acknowledge your successes, review your goals, focus on your successful future, and make specific plans for what you want to accomplish the next day.

I believe that people make their own luck by great preparation and good strategy.

I have lived by one crucial principle since I was 24 years old. I don't blame or complain about things like the economy, the government, taxes, employees, gas prices, or any of the external things that I don't have control over. The only thing I have control over is my response to these things.

One individual can begin a movement that turns the tide of history. Martin Luther King in the civil rights movement, Mohandas Ganhi in India, Nelson Mandela in South Africa are examples of people standing up with courage and non-violence to bring about needed changes.

By taking the time to stop and appreciate who you are and what you've achieved - and perhaps learned through a few mistakes, stumbles and losses - you actually can enhance everything about you. Self-acknowledgment and appreciation are what give you the insights and awareness to move forward toward higher goals and accomplishments.

In one of my recent books, 'The Success Principles,' I taught 64 lessons that help people achieve what they want out of life. From taking nothing less than 100 percent responsibility for your life to empowering others, these are the fundamentals to success - and to great leadership.

Trust your gut feeling about things, listen to what others are saying, and look at the results of your actions. Once you know the truth, you can set about taking action to improve. Everyone will be better for it.

I started out as a high school teacher in inner-city Chicago and realized quite quickly that my students weren't that motivated.

I wanted to be a Teacher with a big T: teach the whole planet. It led me into writing and speaking to large groups.

You can't change anyone else, but people do change in relationship to your change.

I used to define success as being able to produce any result you wanted, whether it was a relationship, weight-loss, being a millionaire, impacting the culture, changing society, whatever it might be - it might be homelessness, whatever - and lately, I've redefined success as 'fulfilling your soul's purpose.'

Remember, you and you alone are responsible for maintaining your energy. Give up blaming, complaining and excuse making, and keep taking action in the direction of your goals - however mundane or lofty they may be.

Words, especially when yelled in anger, can be very damaging to a child's self-confidence. The child probably already feels bad enough just from seeing the consequences of his or her behavior. Our sons and daughters don't need more guilt and self-doubt heaped upon their already wounded egos.